Toasted Marshmallows and Wet Dog

Camping with a baby and a dog. I often wonder about our thought process’ and parenting skills. Shh, don’t tell Little Q! To our benefit it was in a camper and not a tent. Even though he’s not quite crawling yet Q is wanting to chase the dog and he’s already outgrown the “crib” we made out of the couch. Q slept with me which in turn I got kicked in the throat, tooted on, and woken repeatedly because he squirmed his way toward the head of the bed and ran into the wall. Our little family had a remarkable time, though!

We went for hikes, the dog ran and played in the creek, enjoyed a campfire with s’mores. Little Q even got a taste of toasted marshmallow that he wasn’t overly impressed with. We’ll attempt that again. Looking up at the stars and listening to the crackle of the campfire reminded me of how tiny a person is in this vast world. We get caught up in work and schedules, what we’re making for dinner, listing projects that need completing before winter, and so on. It was a pleasant reminder that we need to relax and enjoy the moment.

My husband and I were talking about how we can be better parents. It has been the two of us for so long and we’ve acquired some unfortunate habits. So after our trip we started eating at the table with the TV and cell phones turned off. Little Q has typically eaten most of his meal by then but snacks on Cheerios and puffs then watches us and screeches randomly. It will be beneficial when Q’s a little older, and even now, that we enjoy family time during dinner with no distractions.

Eating more low carb meals is still on our list that we haven’t been too compliant with. Not that there’s a legitimate excuse but some nights we end up grabbing something quick which is historically not the healthiest. Last night it was spaghetti and garlic bread which is low carb, right? I wish. My husband and I need to sit down together and look up some healthier recipes, so we are both on the same page on what’s on the menu for the week.

I’ll be erecting a smaller blow up pool with the colored pit balls soon since it’s getting cooler now with a possibility of snow next week already. My husband laughs at me when I get in with Q to play, but has fun when he joins us. I love talking him into things like that! I enjoy finding things online that are free or at least cheap to do as a family.

Hopefully, Little Q will remember or at least possess proof of these fun times when he’s older since I’ve been taking pictures of us camping, traveling, and playing. We need to appreciate each other and enjoy the time we have together. Make what you do count to those around you!

I am going to share our experiences, ideas, inspirations, accomplishments, and even our flops and fiascoes in our journey to make this little part of the world a better place. Our plan is to grow to be better people.